It’s no secret that college tuition is expensive. But when College Administrators lie about the true cost of attendance, that gets even worse. The GAO found that Financial aid officials at colleges across the country often understate the costs of attending in order to lure students in. Then, when students can’t afford the exorbitant fees, they’re forced to take out loans to cover the difference. It’s fraud on a massive scale.

The College Tuition Trap

College tuition has been steadily increasing for years, with some schools charging as much as $320,000 for a four-year degree. To make matters worse, financial aid officials at many colleges are deliberately understating the cost of attendance in order to entice more students and boost their enrollment numbers. This means that students are often faced with unexpected costs—costs they had not factored into their budgets when they enrolled in school. And since these costs aren’t included in scholarships or grants, many students have no choice but to take out large student loans in order to cover them.

The Impact on Students and Families

Student loan debt is an enormous burden for many college graduates and their families, and it's only getting worse each year. It's time we put a stop to this practice and hold administrators accountable for their actions so that future generations of students can have access to a quality education without facing such an unsustainable financial burden. We need administrators who understand the importance of transparency and honesty when it comes to setting tuition rates so that students can make informed decisions about where they choose to pursue higher education without being taken advantage of by those who are supposed to be helping them succeed academically.

Holding Administrators Accountable

It’s time for administrators at these institutions to be held accountable for their actions. If a student is faced with unexpected expenses because administrators deliberately understate the cost of attendance, then that cost should be deducted from the salaries of administrators. This would force them to be VERY generous when estimating possible expenses, and would allow students and parents to make an informed decision when choosing a school to attend. It should be made clear that such behavior will not be tolerated and that any administrator who is found guilty of this practice will face serious consequences.

Ultimately, college administrators need to start being honest about the true costs associated with attending their institution so that parents and prospective students can make more informed decisions about where they want to enroll without worrying about hidden fees or unexpected expenses at a later date. By holding administrators accountable for their actions—and making sure they understand there will be consequences if they continue down this path—we can help ensure that our children have access to quality higher education without having to take on an unmanageable amount of debt along the way.